SA u15s prepare for North African test
The South African under-15 national boys’ football team reports for a camp on Thursday for a week of training before setting off for Rabat, Morocco, where they will face Morocco and Cote d’Ivoire in a three nations’ tournament.
The event, which runs from the 12th to the 17th of December, will be a first experience of international competition for the national under-15 side.
During July, a group of under-15 players was identified during the SAFA/FIFA Talent Development Scheme Tournament (TDS) and National Schools Championships. They’ll be monitored and developed over the course of the next two years with an eye towards COSAFA and CAF AFCON qualifiers for the national under-17 side in 2025.
Head coach Vela Khumalo said although the pool of identified players numbers almost 50, a squad of 29 players has been called up for the three nations’ tournament, but that will be reduced to 21 before the side departs for North Africa.
“Unfortunately, we had to evaluate the players from the last training camp and will trim the squad to accommodate the tournament rules, but we also had to consider the type of players we will need for the two opponents (Cote d’Ivoire and Morocco) we will be facing,” he explained.
“We are looking forward to this great experience and will ensure that all the players in the squad get a taste of playing for their first international caps,” he added.
“This tournament will be a great test, but more importantly, our players will learn from a young age what it means to play for the badge.”
Khumalo said the pool of players is continually being increased and a database of those players is being maintained, so that no player becomes lost in the system.
“We will ensure that we groom these players and work on areas that we, as the technical team, think they need improvement in,” he said.
SQUAD
Ronin Blackwell (Panorama FC), Keabetswe Morake (Kaizer Chiefs), Christiano von Muelen (School of Excellence), Sive Pama (Cape Town City), Ncebo Mtolo (Magic FC), Lucca Lazarus (SuperSport United), Tswelelo Maaki (SuperSport United), Tiago Khan (Panorama FC), Luke Hendriks (Ubuntu FC), Lebogang Mswane (School of Excellence), Anovuyo Mqoqi (Cape Town City), Royce Malatji (Kaizer Chiefs), Kabelo Sibande (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thurston Phillips (Cape Town Spurs), Selwyn Stevens (Cape Town Spurs), Kgaogelo Monanyane (Mamelodi Sundowns), Emile Witbooi (School of Excellence), Ishaam Tilling (Ubuntu FC), Siphiwe Mlondo (School of Excellence), Neo Bohloko (Kaizer Chiefs), Adriano Adams (Cape Town Spurs), Lesego Hlophe (Kaizer Chiefs), Bokomoso Mokokosi (Kaizer Chiefs), Steven Mendez (Kaizer Chiefs), Uyathanda Sbothobotho (Cosmos FC), Boyzy Ngidi (AmaZulu), Luyanda Biyela (AmaZulu), Diego da Silva (University of Pretoria), Liam Mokgosinyane (TS Galaxy)
